Therapy garden at the Hietzing Clinic wins Best Practice Award for climate protection!

Therapy garden at the Hietzing Clinic wins Best Practice Award for climate protection!

In Vienna, the Hietzing Clinic is characterized by impressive success. On October 20, 2025, the project “COOLING DOWN – We create our own climate!” The therapy garden received the coveted Best Practice Award. This award, which is presented by the Federal Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection as well as Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, recognizes innovative climate protection projects in the healthcare system that successfully combine ecological sustainability and health prevention, reports das Vienna district newspaper.

The project, led by Christina Bauernfeind, an experienced internist and academic expert in garden therapy, covers an area of ​​around two hectares. In this naturally managed garden, patients have the opportunity to actively participate. The focus is not just on relaxation; It is also about promoting self-efficacy and teaching techniques for stress management and climate adaptation, explains OTS.

A paradise for body and mind

The therapy garden at the Hietzing Clinic lives from the idea that rising temperatures can trigger or exacerbate mental illnesses. That is why the garden therapy concept was specifically integrated into everyday therapeutic practice. Patients learn how they can contribute to climate literacy themselves - an important aspect in a world in which the climate is changing. The opportunity to participate not only means taking care of plants, but also making a contribution to your own well-being.

Sustainability is the be-all and end-all in the therapy garden: waste is not simply disposed of, but rather composted and used for mulching. Worm boxes ensure improved soil quality while encouraging beneficial insects to optimize the microclimate. In addition, the harvested products are used to make herbal salts, syrups and even cakes, which are available to all colleagues on the ward.

A model for health promotion

The garden not only offers a space for relaxation, but also promotes social participation. According to the project manager, it is an example of sustainable health promotion in urban areas. The simultaneous pursuit of ecological and psychosocial resilience makes the project unique. Patients actively experience how they can use simple means to improve their own quality of life.

Overall, the “COOLING DOWN” project shows that mental health promotion, climate protection and social participation go hand in hand. The therapy garden at the Hietzing Clinic is not only a place of healing, but also a test bed for future-oriented approaches in healthcare. It remains to be seen how this concept can be implemented in other facilities in order to make a positive contribution to the quality of life in our cities.